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UPDATE: Wildfires Extinguished in Dolly Sods Wilderness, Closure Order Lifted

Updated on 10-06-2016 10:50 a.m.

The Closure Order for the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area was lifted on October 5, 2016 and all trails are now open. A Fire Ban in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is still in effect due to prolonged drought and will remain in place until weather conditions improve. Gas powered backpacking/camping stoves are allowed in the wilderness area. The current Fire Ban no longer includes the Red Creek Campground and Dolly Sods Picnic Area.

Updated on 09-29-16 5:55 p.m.

Two out of the five wildfires in the Dolly Sods Wilderness have been completely extinguished, and two more fires have been 100 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service team that is managing the Red Creek Fires. There is a fifth fire that firefighters haven’t yet been able to contain. This fire was discovered Wednesday, September 29. An explosive safety specialist has been called in to inspect the area surrounding the fifth fire to make sure there are no unexploded ordinances nearby. During World War II, the Dolly Sods Wilderness area was used as a training ground for soldiers, and many artillery and mortar shells shot into the area for practice still exist.

The southwestern portions of Dolly Sods in Tucker County are closed until further notice. The rest of the wilderness area is still open for camping and hiking.

The fires are a 4-mile hike from the nearest road. Thirty Forest Service employees are managing the fires, with the assistance of horses that have packed in supplies.

Updated on 09-28-16 4:40 p.m.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, there are now five wildfires burning in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. All of the fires are small, less than an acre in size. Three of the five wildfires are 80-100 percent contained. It has been determined that three of the five wildfires were caused by unattended campfires. The cause of the fourth and fifth fire is still under investigation. Fire suppression efforts continue Wednesday and rain is forecasted for the next couple of days, which authorities say should help their efforts to fight the fires.

The Big Stonecoal Trail, Little Stonecoal Trail, Breathed Mountain Trail, Rocky Point Trail and Dunkenbarger Trail all remained closed in Dolly Sods. A fire ban is in place throughout most of the Dolly Sods area.

Updated on 09-26-16 9:30 p.m.

This past weekend was the peak time for tourists to visit Dolly Sods to see the leaves change for fall. But some of these visitors left behind smoldering campfires, and now four wildfires are burning in the area.

The first fire was discovered two weeks ago on September 16th. That fire is still burning, as well as three more that were discovered last Thursday, and this past weekend. Unattended campfires are believed to have caused three of the fires – and the cause of the fourth is still under investigation.

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This year’s weather conditions are partly to blame, says Cliff Hensley with the Monongahela National Forest. “West Virginia normally doesn’t have a lot of forest fires.”

But the last few months have been unusually dry. What’s especially abnormal about this year’s fires is they’re burning through the top layer of soil, catching all the dry debris, and continuing to burn as much as a foot and a half underground.

Fires this deep, Hensley said, haven’t been common here for seventy years. “Back in the ‘40s there was similar fires but nothing since.”

Over thirty U.S. Forest Service employees have been on the scene working to contain the wildfires in the last few weeks. Three of the fires are 80-100 percent contained.

The first and most significant fire is still burning but is under control. Rain fell Monday evening, helping the firefighters with the suppression efforts.

All hiking and camping is temporarily prohibited in the Red Creek area, though the Northern and Eastern Portions of Dolly Sods are still open.

This is a developing story.

Updated 09-26-16 4:44 p.m.

Officials with the U.S. Forest Service say two new wildfires have been identified in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. Four wildfires in the Red Creek area are now under investigation. The fires are all believed to be caused by human activity. The fires remain small in size.

Original story: 09-24

Two wildfires are burning in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area within the Monongahela National Forest. The cause of both fires is under investigation, but it is believed they were caused by human activity.

The fires are small, less than 1 acre in size. Fire activity has been low intensity with minimal fire spread. At this time, Red Creek Fire #2 is 90 percent contained. It will continue to be monitored daily for some time. Fire suppression efforts continue with firefighters focusing on the original fire.

The Red Creek Fire was discovered on Friday, September 16, 2016. A second fire was discovered on September 22, 2016, now called Red Creek Fire #2.

The Forest Service has closed trails and the surrounding area due to the potential presence of unexploded ordinance in the wilderness area. The intent is to create a safety zone of at least one-half mile around the fires to prevent injuries should the wildfire cause an undetected ordinance to explode.

For this reason, a Forest Supervisor’s Closure Order (see map) was issued for the southwestern portion of the Dolly Sods Wilderness on September 23, 2016. The closure order applies specifically to an area bounded by the Wilderness boundary on the west, and area 100 feet east of Forest Road 80, an area 100 feet south of Blackbird Knob Trail (TR 511), an area 100 feet west of Red Creek Trail (TR 514) and an area 100 feet north of Laneville Road (CO 45/4).

This includes all cross-country travel and travel on the following trails: Big Stonecoal Trail (TR 513), Little Stonecoal Trail (TR 552), Breathed Mountain Trail (TR 553), Rocky Point Trail (TR 554) and Dunkenbarger Trail (TR 558).

Due to dry conditions, a closure order related to outdoor burning is also in effect. A fire ban is in place for the entire Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, the Red Creek Campground and the Dolly Sods Picnic Area. No campfires or charcoal grills are allowed. Gas-powered grills and backpacking stoves can still be used.

Troy Waskey, Cheat-Potomac District Ranger, said, “The timing of these two closures is unfortunate with so many visitors to the Dolly Sods at this time of year. All of the hikers and hunters that firefighters have encountered on the trails have been very understanding.”

He said the closures will be lifted as soon as possible. He emphasized that firefighter and public safety are his top priority.

One Year Later, Harpers Ferry Residents Remember Fire

Saturday marks one-year since a fire devastated four buildings in the commercial district of historic Harpers Ferry – two of those buildings were built before the Civil War. Eight shops and two apartments were lost, and by the time the fire was put out nearly eight hours after it began, it left behind almost $2 million in damages.

A year later, the town is on its way to recovery, but one couple still vividly remembers the scene that unfolded before them that morning.

Harpers Ferry is well-known for its significance during the American Civil War, and it’s one of West Virginia’s most popular tourist destinations. But on the morning of the July 23, 2015 fire, many residents worried that would all be lost…including Ron and Laura Clark.

The Clarks sell sporting goods at their shop in Harpers Ferry called The Outfitter. They also live in town – just up the street from where the fire began. This week, we sat on their porch, as they told me what happened on that early morning of July 23, 2015.

“It was a beautiful night,” Laura remembered, “I had the fan on and the door open, and it was trash night, and I heard this rustling noise, and since it was trash night, I thought it was the bear that was getting into the trash.”

But it wasn’t a bear, and the rustling didn’t go away.

“And I walked a half a block down, and I turned my head around the corner,” she said, “and there’s this staircase in the middle of the block, and in the center of the staircase, the blaze was going.”

Laura was the first person to make a 911 call that morning. After she woke up her husband Ron, she ran back down to the burning buildings to try and wake up residents who were asleep inside.

“I was calling 911 simultaneously as I was banging on the door,” she explained, “and it was horrifying. I mean, I could not get them awake; they were on the third level, the doorbell was broken, and it seemed like forever I was banging.”

Laura was finally able to get the attention of the two people inside the apartment. In the end, that building suffered serious damages.

Laura’s husband Ron was also up making calls by then and taking video of the fire on his phone.

“The fire started moving faster and jumped to another building, so I put my cell phone camera down and just started going down the street and banging on doors,” he said.

After about 20 or 30 minutes, fire and rescue crews showed up and contained the blaze. By late morning, the fire was finally put out.

It took Ron and Laura about two weeks to get over the trauma and even sleep well again.

But, in a matter of months, the town began to bounce back. Two shops displaced from the fire reopened in Harpers Ferry, while a few others reopened in nearby cities. Groups from both in and out of West Virginia, including West Virginia University, sent aid to help in the recovery efforts.

One year later, the reconstruction of the four buildings damaged in the fire is coming along smoothly. Harper’s Ferry Mayor Gregory Vaughn estimates the rehabilitation of most of the buildings will be complete by early winter.

Vaughn says the devastation hit shop owners’ the hardest, but he says since day one, they’ve been resilient.

“I think that even though it was a very difficult day for them, I think today they are so positive,” he noted, “I know one of the shop owners who was displaced, had their best year, probably, in decades with business.”

On Sunday, July 24, a special church service and luncheon will be held at Camp Hill-Wesley United Methodist Church in Harpers Ferry honoring the fire and rescue teams and other personnel who fought the July 2015 fire. The service will begin at 11:00 a.m.

One year later, the cause of the fire still hasn’t been determined.

Blaze Destroys West Virginia Volunteer Fire Department

Fire has destroyed an Eastern Panhandle volunteer fire department.Media outlets report no one was injured in Tuesday's blaze at the Great Cacapon…

Fire has destroyed an Eastern Panhandle volunteer fire department.

Media outlets report no one was injured in Tuesday’s blaze at the Great Cacapon Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighters from three states responded.

Morgan County Sheriff Vince Shambaugh says a home next to the fire station had to be evacuated.

Great Cacapon Fire Chief Matt Grimley says the state fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Great Cacapon is about five miles west of Berkeley Springs.

Harpers Ferry Fire of '15 Still a Mystery, Rebuild in Progress

Harpers Ferry is moving right-along in its rebuilding process since a fire devastated four historic buildings last July.

We last heard on the status of the Harpers Ferry rebuilding process back in December. Now, as we begin approaching summer and the one year mark since the fire, the town is getting closer and closer to being restored.

In December, one of the main building owners, Barbara Pusateri said she hoped to be back and fully operational with businesses and apartments by the end of the summer.

Harpers Ferry Mayor Gregory Vaughn just spoke with Pusateri.

“She informed me that the restoration for her properties are going along very well,” Vaughn said, “and she believes that she may come on-line in late summer or early fall. Full restoration.”

Vaughn also says two other property owners hope to be in working order by October or November. Vaughn also notes all the debris in the structures is now gone. Debris-removal began just before Thanksgiving.

“They were very careful in removing all of the burned material; that is all gone, the buildings have been gutted. They are down to studs and floor joist and ceiling joist, and now they are beginning work inside to restore the inside and also with the outside structures.”

West Virginia University’s Extension Service has been working with Harpers Ferry since September. They provided contractors and other experts to look over the damage and consider future projects to beautify the town.

Vaughn says the Extension Service has also helped the town apply for a grant this past March.

“It would be restoration and beautification of the main tourist corridor along High Street. High Street is one of the principle and historic streets in Harpers Ferry, and there’s quite a bit of work that could be done there to make the experience of our visitors even better than what it is, and that’s what we are attempting to achieve with this grant.”

High Street is home to two of the buildings caught in the July fire, including Pusateri’s.

At this time, Vaughn says the cause of the fire is still undetermined.

Beckley Ice Plant Catches Fire Monday

An ice business north of Beckley went up in flames, requiring three crews to extinguish the blaze.The Register-Herald reports Home City Ice caught fire…

An ice business north of Beckley went up in flames, requiring three crews to extinguish the blaze.

The Register-Herald reports Home City Ice caught fire around 9 a.m. Monday, and all employees were evacuated safely.

Bradley-Prosperity Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Jeff Johnson says the blaze started between the wall and attic space of the aluminum-sided building.

The building sustained heavy damage, mainly in the roof.

Brian Penturff, operations manager of the facility, says within 15 minutes the entire roof was engulfed in flames. He says workers were removing items in the attic area when a spark struck dry wood, causing the blaze.

Penturff says some ice makers were destroyed in the fire.

According to the Home City Ice website, the business manufactures 5,700 tons of ice per day and operates 36 facilities across 13 states.

Charleston Apartment Fire Displaces up to 11

Officials say as many as 11 people have been displaced after a fire at an apartment complex in Charleston.

Local media outlets report the fire happened Wednesday night at the Vandalia Terrace Apartments. No injuries were reported.

Officials say the blaze damaged anywhere from four to six units at the complex. Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire.

The American Red Cross responded late Wednesday night to help out the victims.